The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1887-01-30

news columns of that paper about the
coal strikes in this state or anywhere else.
Mr., Daniel McAghon, Mayor CIeve-
lands Secretary, who writes the Jersey
City and Hoboken news for the New
York Tribune, has been cognizant of this
fact from the commencement of the
strike; and if the Mayor did not know
his statement to be untrue when Ae made
it, Mr.. Nc Aghon should, as he might,
have enlightened him. Our view of the
extreme unwisdom of Mayor Clevelands
course in the strikes agrees with that
Of the wisdom Of the strike itself differs
widely from the views the Times is urg-
ing. We expressed ourselves fairly and
frankly upon the strike IN these columns
last Sunday morning, in the following
language:-
difference on the point of compensation BIS
tween an employer ana his employe is so essen
TALLY matter of adjustment between the two par
ties to the controversy that outsider assume
to arbitrate for them; and on the question of
the amount the coal companies should pay their
striking coal handlers for their labor we hold no
opinion. But we do know that the grasping and
grinding corporations will force as much service
possible out of their servants for the least pos
sibe expenditure, and our sympathies are natur-
ally with the men who seeking to improve their
condition and to keep their families out Of the
poor houses. 1t is tough for man to labor from
early morn till dewy eve, and starye while he
works. Ragged backs and hungry stomachs are
mighty poor compensation for ceaseless toll. This
know to be the experience of the laborers of all
the great corporations, and so, on general princi-
Piles, they have warmest sympathy whenever
and as often as they strike for something better.
We wish the coal beavers all the success in their
present movement that is within their reach.
There is no danger of the companies giving them
more than they deserve or of any of the managers
Of the monopolies allowing them more than they
can afford to pay. We hope they will bring the
companies TO terms, AID, with the resources at
their command. we expect to them do it.
Nor, while questioning the wisdom of
the Mayors course did we design, and
we expressly said that we could not bring
ourselves, to approve of the importation of
the Pinkerton rufians to these parts, or of
the action of the Police Board in confer
ring special police powers upon them.
Their presence here is specially obnoxious
because the Rail Road corporation that of
all others has shown the supremest con-
tempt for the laws of this State, brought
them here. But under the laws of the
State it has the right to place whom it
pleases, as watchmen, upon its property to
guard and protect it and to arm them,
and the comforting Of police powers on
them gave these men no right to do any |
thing that they could not do without such |
powers. If the loss of police power by
them would have ensured their removal /
from the city, or if the revocation of the
powers could have stopped them of any of
their perogatiyes, none would have insisted
more warmly than we, that the Police |
Board should retrace its steps in the mat |
ter. But an agitation could produce no
practical results, except to infiame and ex-
cite an already irritated public sentiment; !
and so, in the interest of peace, and quiet, |
and good order, we refrained from making
the ill-advised action of the Police Board
The text of Philippe It is for this rea-
son that we cannot approve of Mayor
Jleveland's agitation. 1t could possibly
no good. 1t might possibly
provoke the wronged strikers to tumult,
bring on blood shed, and precipitate riot
And wise and conservative public official,
solicitous only for the safety and welfare of
his people, would have abstained from the
agitation. We like sensations but if we
can make them only at the expense of hui
man life, and the good order of great city
like this, we prefer to get along without
them.